PhD position to investigate genetic diversity within the Western honey bee (Apis mellifera)

The worldwide loss of biodiversity poses one of the greatest challenges of our time. The crisis encompasses not only the decline in the number of species, but also the loss of genetic diversity within and between populations. Intraspecific diversity is important because it provides the basis for future evolutionary adap-tations to environmental change, including changes in climate, habitat, as well as ecological interactions (e.g., new parasites). In the research project ApiDIST at the Department of Livestock Population Genomics, we investigate genetic diversity within the Western honey bee (Apis mellifera). With their dual nature as managed and wild insects, honey bees live at the intersection between anthropogenic and natu-ral habitats, and their evolution is affected by human-mediated as well as natural selection pressures. Us-ing historical and recent bee samples from central Europe, ApiDIST investigates how the genetic diversity of honey bees has changed in space and time. The project’s findings will contribute to the development of strategies for the sustainable use and conservation of locally adapted honey bee populations.

We are offering a PhD position (f/m/d) on a fixed-term contract for three years (E13 TV-L, 65%), to be filled as soon as possible

YOUR TASKS

• Collection/Sampling of honey bees in the field across Germany and adjacent countries
• Collaboration with scientists at entomological collections and with the wider public (Citizen Science) to identify historical honey bee samples
• Molecular genetic laboratory work (e.g., extraction of DNA of historical and modern honey bee samples)
• Morphometric and genomic data analyses
• Presentation of scientific results at conferences and in scientific journals
• Communication of the research findings to students and the wider public

YOUR PROFILE

• Master’s degree (or equivalent) in Biological, Agricultural, or Environmental Sciences
• Enthusiasm for biodiversity and very good knowledge in the fields of ecology, population genetics, taxonomy, and/or bee biology
• Experience in statistical analysis of ecological and/or genetic data (e.g., in R)
• Very good command of spoken and written English
• Strong communication skills and a motivation for interdisciplinary work

This position offers early-career researchers an excellent opportunity to gain extensive experience in field ecology, museum collections, and molecular methods, and to develop scientific independence whilst pursuing a PhD.

Application deadline : 07.06.2026

Please attach the following documents to your application:

We look forward to receiving your application, which should include a cover letter (max. 2 pages), your CV, a list of any publications, and copies of your academic transcripts. Please submit these via our online portal by 7 June 2026 and send them as a single PDF document in an email to Dr Patrick L. Kohl (email: patrick.kohl@uni-hohenheim.de; Subject: “ApiDIST”). Please do not submit any application photos. If you have any queries, please feel free to contact the project leader, Dr Kohl (email: patrick.kohl@uni-hohenheim.de; telephone: +49 (0) 711 459 22484).